Trash can holders with improved lid fasteners and spring-loaded bread-over handle device

ABSTRACT

A trash can holder for selectively maintaining lids of trash cans in either raised or lowered position, and wherein there is provided improved lid fasteners as well as a spring-loaded breakover handle device.

United. States Patent [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 389,450 9/1888 Devore et a]. 1,947,879 2/ l 934 Sandbe 2,732,155

[72] Inventor RoyW.Sherley Abilene, Tex. AppLNo. 768,116

07 94 III 68 4 2 22 Filed 0ct.l6,1968 r eta 45 Patented Jan.26,l971 H1956 Stanley? I Asslgnee Royw-shefley 2,096,506 10/1937 Brandstrom..................

by mesne assignment Primary Examiner-Edward C. Allen Attorney-Sherman Levy [54] TRASH CAN HOLDERS WITH IMPROVED LID FASTENERS AND SPRING-LOADED BREAK-OVER HANDLE DEVICE 1 Claim, 7 Drawing Figs.

ABSTRACT: A trash can holder for selectivel 248/147 y maintaining B65d5l/00 lids of trash cans in either raised or lowered position, and

248/ 147; wherein there is provided improved lid fasteners as well as a spring-loaded breakover handle device.

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PATENTEDJA N26|9H 8.558.088 SHEEI 1 OF 2 I I INVENTOR i ROY W. SHERLEY BY L jam 0 9 ATTORNEY pmmmmzsmn 8558.088

SHEET 2 [IF 2 INVENTOR ROY w. SHERLEY h fig ATTORNEY TRASH CAN HOLDERS WITH IMPROVED LID FASTENERS AND SPRING-LOADED BREAK-OVER HANDLE DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention pertains to the field of Supports and Racks, Class 211, subclass 83, and Class 248, subclass 146.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a trash can lid holder that is manually operable and can be conveniently actuated so as to position the lids of trash cans in upward position, and wherein the device can be manually actuated to selectively move the lids to a down position, there being a spring means for exerting pressure in the proper direction to prevent accidental movement or displacement of the parts from their proper adjusted position. There is further provided improved lid fasteners as well as a spring-loaded breakover handle device. Also, the trash can holders of the present invention may be utilized speedily and efficiently, and wherein there is provided improvement elements and arrangements thereof that is economical to manufacture, efficient in operation and conducive to the most economical use of materials and uniformity of members fonned therefrom.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the trash can holders of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a view generally similar to FIG. 2, but showing the parts in raised position.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a modification.

FIG. 6 is a view generally similar to FIG. 5, but showing the parts in up position.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Attention is directed to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1-4 of the drawings, wherein there is shown trash can holders which are an improvement over the trash can lid holders shown in prior patents such as prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,224,595.

In the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates a horizontally disposed base that may be made of any suitable material such as concrete and one or more posts 11 may have their lower ends suitably affixed to the base 10, as shown in FIG. 1. The posts 11 are vertically disposed, and the various posts 11 may be connected together by a crosspiece or crossmember of a suitable construction. The numeral 12 indicates conventional trash cans or receptacles which are adapted to be supported on the base 10, and lids 13 are mounted for movement into and out of closed or open relation with respect to the upper ends of the trash cans 12, as later described in this application.

The numeral 14 indicates a support member that is suitably secured as by welding to the upper ends of each of the posts 1 1 and, as shown in the drawings, the support member 14 each include spaced parallel vertically disposed side portions 15 as well as a horizontally disposed top 16, FIG. 2. The front edge 17 of the top portion 16 terminates at a distance spaced inwardly from the upper front edges of the side portions 15 so that there is provided a space 18 in the upper portion of the support member 14. The support member 14 further includes a vertically disposed back portion 19 as well as a horizontally disposed bottom portion 20, and the support member 14 further includes an inclined front portion 21 which has its upper edges terminating at the point 22 so that there is provided a front portion 23 in the support member 14. The numeral 24 indicates a horizontally disposed pin that extends between the pair of side portions 15, FIGS. 2 and 3. A movable rod or shaft 25 is arranged within the support member 14, and the rod 25 has a slot or recess 26 in the lower portion thereof for receiving the pin 24. The numeral 27 indicates a coil spring or spring member that is circumposed on the rod 25, and the upper end of the coil spring abuts or engages a collar 28 that is suitably affixed to or integral with the rod 25. The upper end of the rod 25 is flattened and reduced in size as at 29. There is further provided a manually operable handle or lever 30 which may have a hand grip 31 on the end thereof, and the inner portion of the handle 30 is bifurcated or slotted as at 32 for receiving therein the upper flat portion 29 of the rod 25. The numeral 33 indicates a pivot pin that operatively connects the bifurcated or slotted portion 32 of the handle 30 to the flattened portion 29 of the movable rod 25. The handle 30 is pivotally connected to the side portions 15 of the support member 14 by means of a pivot pin 24.

Referring now to FIGS. 57 of the drawings, there is illustrated a modified support member that is indicated generally by the numeral 35. The support member 35 is adapted to be suitably secured as by welding to the upper end of a post such as the post 11, and the support member 35 may have a generally rectangular hollow formation, and the support member 35 includes spaced parallel vertically disposed side portions 36, as well as a vertically disposed back portion 37 and a horizontally disposed top portion 38. The top portion 38 terminates at the point 39 which is spaced slightly rearwardly from the upper front edges of the side portions 36 so as to provide a space 40. The support member 35 further includes a horizontally disposed bottom portion 41.

The numeral 42 indicates a projection or guide member that is secured to or formed integral with the inner surface of the back portion 37, and a coil spring 43 has its rear end circumposed on the guide member 42. The front end or other end of the spring 43 bears against a movable plate 44 that depends from and is secured to a pin 45, and the pin 45 is suitably mounted between the pair of side portions 36. The numeral 46 indicates a body piece that may have a generally V-shaped formation so as to include angularly arranged sections 47 that are interconnected by a curved section 48 that is adapted to selectively engage the opposite side of the plate 44 from the spring 43. The body piece 46 is secured as by welding to a sleeve 49 that is mounted on a pin 51, and the sleeve 49 is suitably affixed as by welding to the end of a handle 50. The pin 51 is joumaled in the side portions 36 of the support member 35. As shown in FIG. 1, a bracket 52 is operatively connected to the arm or handle such as the handle 30, or the handle 50, by means of a securing element, or pin 53.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that there has been provided a trash can lid holder which is an improvement over prior trash can lid holders such as shown in prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,224,595. When using the device such as that shown in FIGS. 1-4 it will be seen that one or more trash cans 12 are adapted to be conveniently supported on the base 10, and the posts 11 may have lower portions connected to the base 10. Each of the posts 1 1 has a support member 14 suitably affixed thereto, and due to the provision of the parts previously described, it will be noted that the spring 27 and its associated parts provide an offcenter arrangement to selectively maintain the trash can lids 13 in down or in up position. The handles 30 are adapted to position the lids 13 in the desired location, and the handles 30 may have a convenient hand grip 31 of any suitable formation. As shown in FIG. 2 for example, when the handle 30 is in a horizontal position, the coil spring 27 will exert an upward pressure on the bifurcated end portion 32 of the handle 30 so as to have a tendency to bias or urge the handle 30 in a counterclockwise direction about an axis extending through the pivot pin 34. Because the handle 30 is connected to the lid 13 by means of a member such as the bracket 52, it will be noted that with the parts in the position of FIG. 2, the spring 27 will have a tendency to maintain the lid 13 in its closed position on the trash can 12.

When it is desired to raise or lift a trash can lid 13, it is only necessary to manually grip the handle 30 and swing or pivot the handle 30 upwardly about an axis extending through the pivot pin 34. This upward movement of the handle 30 will raise the lid 13 from the trash can 12 so that trash can be readily placed in or removed from the trash cans as desired or required. FIG. 4 illustrates the position of the parts when the trash can lid is in a raised position, and it will be noted that in this FIG. 4 position the handle 30 is in a vertical position and due to the pivotal connection 33 between the handle 30 and the rod 25 and due to the provision of the spring member 27, that the handle 30 will be urged or maintained in this upward position. The rod 25 has the slotted or recessed portion 26 which provides sufficient clearance for the rod 25 to move relative to the pin 24 so that the proper or necessary movement of the parts can take place. In addition, as shown in FIG, 4, when the parts are in the raised position, the front edge I7 of the portion acts as a stop member to engage the handle 30 to maintain the parts in their proper location. To return the lid 13 to a down position it is only necessary to reverse the previously described procedure, that is, the handle 30 is adapted to be manually pivoted in a counterclockwise position about the axis extending through the pivot pin 34 so that the trash can lid 13 will move to a corresponding closed position on top of the trash can.

In the modified or alternative construction shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, the support member 35 and its associated parts are adapted to be used instead of or in lieu of the support member 14, and generally the operation of the device shown in FIGS. 5-7 is the same as that shown in FIGS. 1-4. Thus, the spring 43 and its associated parts are in the position shown in FIG. 5 when the trash can lid 13 is being held down in a closed position on the trash can, and in FIG. 6 the parts are shown in the position that they occupy when the trash can is being held up away from the top of the trash can. To actuate the device of FIGS. 5-7, and for example to raise a trash can lid, it is only necessary to manually pivot the handle 50 about an axis extending through the pin 51, and it is to be understood that the handle 50 has a trash can lid 13 suitably connected thereto in any suitable manner as for example by means of a bracket 52. When the handle 50 is manually pivoted about the pin 51 it causes corresponding movement of the sleeve 49 and body piece 46, and this will compress the coil spring 43 so that the curved section or edge 48 of the body piece 46 will move downwardly along the plate 44 until the parts reach the position shown in FIG. 6, and then the handle 50 can be released whereby the spring 43 will exert sufficient pressure to maintain the parts in this position so that the trash can lid will be held in an elevated position. When it is desired to lower the trash can lid, it is only necessary to reverse this procedure, that is, the handle 50 is manually pivoted about the pin 51 so that the parts move from the position shown in FIG. 6 back to the position shown in FIG. 5 so that the coil spring 43 will provide sufficient pressure to maintain the trash can lid secure on the trash can. The edge 39 provides a stop for engagement by the handle 50 when the handle is in the position shown in FIG. 6.

It is to be understood that the parts can be made in any suitable material and in difi'erent shapes or sizes as desired or required.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

1 claim:

I. A trash can holder comprising a base, at least one post extending upwardly from said base, a support member affixed to the upper end of said post, said support member including vertically disposed side portions, a vertically disposed back portion, a horizontally disposed bottom portion, and a horizontall dis osed to rtion the front ed e of said to rtion beiiig spaced re ns rdly from the upp r front edge s f said side portions so as to define and provide a stop, a projection on the inner surface of said back portion, a spring member having an end thereof circumposed on said projection, a pin connected to said support member, a plate depending from said pin and affixed thereto, said plate engaging an end of said coil spring, a body piece comprising a lever with its end engaging the opposite side of the plate from the coil spring, a handle secured to said body piece, a sleeve affixed to said body piece, and a pin extending through said sleeve operatively connected to said support member, the lever being movable from one side to the other of a straight line connecting the projection and the pin. 

1. A trash can holder comprising a base, at least one post extending upwardly from said base, a support member affixed to the upper end of said post, said support member including vertically disposed side portions, a vertically disposed back portion, a horizontally disposed bottom portion, and a horizontally disposed top portion, the front edge of said top portion being spaced rearwardly from the upper front edges of said side portions so as to define and provide a stop, a projection on the inner surface of said back portion, a spring member having an end thereof circumposed on said projection, a pin connected to said support member, a plate depending from said pin and affixed thereto, said plate engaging an end of said coil spring, a body piece comprising a lever with its end engaging the opposite side of the plate from the coil spring, a handle secured to said body piece, a sleeve affixed to said body piece, and a pin extending through said sleeve operatively connected to said support member, the lever being movable from one side to the other of a straight line connecting the projection and the pin. 